This section explains the types of services that ICS Legal can provide for you and your family, however this is not a definitive list and we may be able to tailor advice on individual needs and requirements, so its always a good idea to ask if in doubt. Our success is measured by the way we deliver our services to our clients ensuring prompt, acurate, honest and practical solutions.

Application Checking Service

Our unique Application Checking Service allows you to get your application checked by an Immigration Advisor and ensure that the application is valid before you submit it to the Home Office. This service is targeted to all clients, who have a basic understanding of the application process but require assistance with some aspects of the application, or even assurity that the relevant information has been included.

The service includes:

• An appointment at our office with all your documents including the application forms. It is critical that your Immigration Advisor ensures that the application is valid, as there is no right of appeal for invalid application.
   
• Completion of any other possible associated application forms or even just checking the application form you have completed is the correct one. 
   
• Paying close attention to the Immigration Law specific to your application particularly paying attention to the Immigration Rules and Policies, we will ensure that all the requirements are met and only the relevant documents have been supplied, bearing in mind that any un-necessary documents could delay an application or can even confuse case workers.
   
• Editing your cover letter and adding any required information.

After the consultation, your legal advisor can be contacted at any time for any further clarifications.

Initial Applications/Entry Clearance/UK Visas/Further Leave to Remain/Settlement

We offer our best value for money service to our clients. It is a complete service package for all initial applications or those looking for extensions or switches to a different category.

Our advisors will provide you with the right advice for your application; we will further confirm eligibility for you with your chosen applicaion.

This service includes the following:

• Entire consultancy (this will check your eligibility to apply, inform you on how we propose to present your case to the Secretary State of Home Department (SSHD) and discuss options where required).
• Administration services.
• Completion of the relevant application forms (each section will be cross referenced with the documents supplied to ensure the validity of the application. There are important sections and document requirements to ensure the application is valid (not meeting the requirement may lead to refusal without appeal if you fail to respond within the prescribed time under The Immigration Regulation 2003 S1, No 1712).
• Sponsor letter where required. We will discuss the requirements and responsibilities of the sponsors.
• A policy document from us where we outline how you met the Immigration Rules HC395 enabled by the Immigration Act 1971 (cross referencing all the documents supplied, how you meet the rules and any instructions that we need to inform the SSHD when they analyse your case).
• Collecting all the necessary evidence from your self (we will cross reference your documents, create additional documents to ensure that the SSHD can understand where we have derived the information from and for what reasons particular documents are supplied and also exclude any un-necessary documents which can lead to a delay in your application and can confuse the SSHD).
• Collectively going through the documents created with the client to ensure they are happy with the application and after approval this would be ready for submission.

Case Management – complex cases

This section provides details of how we can support you in making further representations to the Home Office. Our Immigration Advisors are equipped with the skills and knowledge to tackle your case and provide the correct solution to your problems.  We are able to carry out Administrative Reviews on all PBS applications. At this level, ICS Legal can undertake more complex applications in selective categories which includes applications outside the Immigration Rules and applications under Home Office concessionary or discretionary policies. British Nationality and Citizenship is another area where we can undertake some complex cases.

Our Immigration Advisors have detailed knowledge of Immigration and Nationality law, including:

1. Grounds for applications. 
2. UKBA practice in the consideration of cases. 
3. UKBA concessionary policies. 
4. Grounds for lodging appeals including human rights grounds. 
5. British Nationality. 
6. Administrative reviews on all point based applications. 
7. Procedures for human rights applications, e.g. One-Stop Notices.

Where an application has been submitted and you require further representations to be made to the Home Office, ICS Legal can carry this out. We have an upto date working knowledge of relevant case laws and precedents and can access and use them effectively when making representations on behalf of the clients.

We have detailed knowledge of the types of evidence needed to support applications outside the Immigration Rules and how to obtain them, and also the relative weight to be attached to different types of evidence.

Just as importantly our knowledge of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) and other relevant law allow us to present a case to the Home Office where we feel there is an argument in this point of law and use relevant case laws to support our arguments.

We have a clear understanding and knowledge of immigration and nationality law and have procedures in place to ensure that we submit a successful case to the Home Office.

A list of all services are:

1. Applications to the UKBA, including human rights applications and concessionary or discretionary applications.
    
2. Case Resolution/Legacy Cases and Active Review.
    
3. Applications for Humanitarian Protection. 
    
4. Representing clients in correspondence with the UKBA and at UKBA interviews.
    
5. Representations to the UKBA in support of cases. 
    
6. Drafting client statements. 
    
7. Submitting One-Stop Notices. 
    
8. Lodging appeals (only in exceptional circumstances where immediate referral is not possible). 
    
9. Family reunion applications. 
    
10. Representations regarding ongoing immigration casework to MPs.
     
11. Instructing a barrister or advocate for advice and to draft appropriate grounds of appeal (where permitted by the Bar Council). 
     
12. Applications to register or naturalise as a British Citizen through residency and marriage to a British Citizen.
     
13. Certificates of entitlement to right of abode. 
     
14. Applying for British Passport through entitlement. 
     
15. Complex cases on British Nationality. 

Sponsor Licence

The points-based sponsor application process has been designed to be straightforward and transparent, however it is important that the correct documents and the correct HR system is in place. The Home Office also conducts audits on you as an employer/educational institution when you make an application for a sponsor licence. We are able to provide support and guidance throughout this process.

Reassuringly we are listed on the Home Office website Click here whereby we have demonstrated a good understanding of the sponsorship arrangements and have provided the Home Office with evidence about the types of checks and services we will make when working with clients. We are able to provide prospective sponsors with a document which assesses their readiness to make a sponsorship application.

The points-based system only covers migrants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. If you want to employ or teach an EEA or Swiss national, you should be able to do this without needing the Home Offices permission. There are some restrictions on nationals of countries that have recently joined the EEA. The section for European citizens provides more information on the rights of all EEA and Swiss nationals.

Under the new system, migrants will need to pass a points-based assessment before they are given permission to enter or remain in the United Kingdom. The system consists of five tiers. Each tier has different point requirements.

The number of points the migrant needs and the way the points are awarded will depend on the tier they are applying under. Points will be awarded to reflect the migrant's ability, experience, age and when appropriate the level of need within the sector the migrant will be working.

Migrants applying under any tier except tier 1 will need to be sponsored in order for their application to be successful. If a United Kingdom organisation wishes to recruit a migrant under tiers 2, 4, 5 or Temporary Workers, they will have to apply to the Home Office for a sponsor licence. Under tiers 2, 5 and Temporary Workers, the sponsor will need to be a United Kingdom based employer. Under tier 4, the sponsor will need to be a United Kingdom based educational institution. Migrants wishing to come to the United Kingdom under Tier 5 sub section Youth Mobility do not require a United Kingdom based employer.

The point-based system consists of five tiers. These are:

1. Tier 1 - Highly skilled workers, for example scientists and entrepreneurs;
2. Tier 2 - Skilled workers with a job offer, for example teachers and nurses;
3. Tier 3 - Low skilled workers filling specific temporary labour shortages, for example construction workers for a particular project;
4. Tier 4 - Students including child students;
5. Tier 5 - Youth mobility and temporary workers for example musicians coming to play in a concert.